The Words of Rev Sun Myung Moon from 1980 |
Line Of Limitation
Reverend Sun Myung Moon,
January 27, 1980
Belvedere
Translator - Bo Hi Pak
In our world we have many systems and regulations to live by. In the same way there are many limits to cope with, so when you go beyond a certain line you are always in a different environment or atmosphere. We can appreciate that the fallen world has some limitation lines; heaven also has boundaries because it is bordered by hell. Sometimes we have to go beyond those lines, and sometimes stay within them.
If we are isolated by the enemy in a war zone, we have to think how to break out of enemy lines. In order to survive you have to break through all the obstacles in front of you. A line of limitation is a boundary between two aspects, and to make a breakthrough you have to deal with this boundary.
Divine Principle is not a random ideology, but is precise enough to guide you in a certain direction, and according to Divine Principle there are certain limitations which we have to be bound by. When man becomes one in mind and body, for instance, then he can make a breakthrough and move over to another area. But if mind and body are going in different directions, it cannot happen. You must have mind and body in unity in order to go beyond individual perfection. The principle that mind and body should be united is already there; it is not created by you. You do not create any new rules. These are given by the Creator of the universe, who has certain immovable principles that guide unity between mind and body. In going the Principle way there are formulas that you are bound by.
According to Divine Principle, when subject and object are united into one then unity is always formed along a central line. It is not only a line of guidance and direction, but extends to eternity. When two objects or individuals are united, the central line of unity can be extended to eternity.
We are confined by the fallen world, so in order to get out of that circumstance we have to break through many lines of limitation, step by step, before we are liberated. Those lines of limitation are trying to contain us. In order to break through those lines, two objects have to be united. What is the factor that can unite them? It is a common goal and purpose which brings two together.
That common goal does not start from the two individuals, but is greater than either of them. The Creator who made both already set up the purpose; that higher purpose which joins the two requires that they be united. Suppose plus and minus are united into one. When they are united they correspond to some higher purpose. When they come closer and closer to unity, their purpose is being elevated and the Creator's idea is coming down, moving toward the central position. Those four components then meet in a central place.
This principle applies as well in your work or mission. You have a goal to reach, and while you are working toward it the purpose and high ideal which corresponds to the purpose are being achieved. This is why we say that the presence of God is found wherever subject and object are united into one. Then the two united beings have give and take with God and His presence becomes obvious.
There is an ancient tradition in the Orient that you use both hands when you give or receive some precious thing from someone. A gift rests on your two palms, which are subject and object, upon which the gift or the purpose is given to a higher personage. Then the joy of God stays with it.
When two entities are united they don't usually stand still but make some circular motion. Where will this movement go? How do you know that the movement is upward? When subject and object turn, the object is pulled toward the center. The give and take of centrifugal and centripetal forces will bring an object toward the center. There are two opposing strengths having give and take, and when the central pulling power is strong the object has to be moving around it and coming closer to the center.
When the pulling strength gets stronger, the object will move toward the center; when the pushing power gets stronger, the center will move outward. Altogether it is a relationship of the two forces that sets the direction. When the subject power is stronger, the object should be pulled into it. God is the center, so do you think He is moved by the pulling strength of any other creature, or does He pull the creatures toward Him?
In our society we make conscientious effort to be united into one. In school students try to unite with teachers, and at work employees try to unite with employers. Why? Because through unity they want to be closer to the common purpose which comes from the Creator; in other words, they want to be closer to goodness. What is that goodness and who determines it? Goodness always has the quality of making you closer to the Creator and origin of the universe. It enables you to resemble more and be more sensitive to the original quality-that quality is goodness. What kind of quality makes you resemble God? The characteristic of the Creator, the origin of goodness, is a quality of public-mindedness.
Within yourself you will find two components- subject and object, a personage of mind and a personage of body. These two are always sharing or coexisting within you. Which of these should be subject? You might say that your body is the most visible so it should be subject. No? Then you are saying that the mind should be subject, right?
Why should the mind be subject? Suppose the mind tells the body to help all the white people around the world, and then to relax and enjoy itself. Once the body finishes, the mind discovers that it is not content and decides to tell the body to help all the other races before it relaxes. You will find that the mind is very greedy. When you help the people of the world you might think the mind would be content, but instead it wants the body to go help the things of the creation next. It slave drives the body. The more you do, the greedier it gets because it can expand without end.
The mind has no line of limit, but your body always wants to worry first about itself. The body is uninterested in the country or the rest of mankind and only worries about itself. It is always self-centered. Therefore, you find a war going on in yourself, with the mind and body each trying to pull the other in its direction. Sometimes the body rebels and goes its own direction, trying to be happy. Then all of a sudden the mind appears and chastises it. If the body enjoys some carnal desire then afterward it wants to hide from the mind, but it is to no avail.
If the body is pulled by the mind instead of going in its own direction then it is completely worn out, but the mind will come and praise the body and sleep together in peace with it. The mind is always delighted when the body lives up to the mind's expectations, even if the body gets totally worn out. Then the mind always gives it comfort and peace. On the other hand, if the body gets very ambitious and succeeds in conquering the world, the mind will always be there to shake its finger and scold the body.
Suppose the body decides it doesn't need the mind and wants to cut loose; the body will never succeed. The body can never completely escape the mind. Can the body fully conquer the mind? No, never in a million years. But the mind is always capable of conquering the body completely. Which is the subject then? Is it the being which has the ability to conquer and control, or that which has the ability to be conquered?
Then why would the mind and body try to unite? When mind and body are united, they make a perfected object which can have give and take with a higher subject. If students try to comply with the wishes of the teacher, the end result will be a good one; the students will be moving up the ladder of accomplishment. It doesn't matter what area of life this principle is applied to, whether government, business, or education-where the object tries to live up to the wishes of the subject the outcome is always good.
What would the mind like best? The mind likes good things. What are good things? What is the central purpose of God's existence? Does He want to fulfill power or knowledge? What is the central essence for which God must exist? What is the central strength for which purpose even God exists and everything can be created? There must be some essence of desire; that is true love.
If true love pulls the subject then there must be an object for true love. If true love is the subject, then false or illicit love could not be an object because they could not unite. Do we need true love? Why do you want to become closer to God? Because God is the subject of true love; He is the reservoir or source of true love. Everyone is seeking their ultimate resting place of tranquility and peace. God is seeking it; man is seeking it and the creation is seeking it. What should that resting place have? Would you like to live permanently in the place which generates power and electricity?
A place of trueness has a certain unchanging and unique quality. The way of true love is like a shortcut because it is a straight line. Even electricity always travels through the shortest circuit when it has the option of going along several circuits. Even if the shortcut is tough and rugged, it will always go that way. There must be some circuit of give and take between God and man, and the shortest route is the way of true love. When you say you like true love you are saying you like the way of life or direction of true love. What are you trying to achieve in the end? You are expecting to capture God. Instead of taking God's position yourself, you want God to take your position. Instead of God possessing you, you want to possess God. That's the ultimate privilege we men are seeking.
Why did God make two separate entities which could potentially come into conflict? Why not make one entity? The mind should be able to bring the entire world with it, not just be one with God by itself, because then there would be much more variety for enjoyment. You don't want to wear the same color all the time; you want variety. In your home you want to have pets, to have a garden. When you were young you had a variety of toys. You may think you need nothing except your loving husband, but when you really want to enrich that love you need a variety of surroundings that create a rich atmosphere for give and take of love.
When the master gives love, all the creation responds, whether it is animal or plant. Nature also inspires the master; the singing of two birds in love, for instance, gives you an idea for loving your own husband or wife. Nature offers that kind of stimulation. Why do you like to wear ornaments like earrings, and even nose rings? Because you want to relate to nature in some way, and nature wants to be part of you by being worn by you. That's all part of the world of art.
Imagine a playground that is absolutely flat, with no other objects there at all. No one would think of it as artistic or functional. Suppose it was completely flat but you put an ugly rock in the center. Now there is something to hold on to. Even the ugly rock will break up the monotony, and make the playground much more attractive. Man is not just a material creature, but an artistic one.
We are living in a world which imposes all kinds of limits. When you think of all the limits that impose on you, sometimes you feel choked. Young people hate lines of limitation and they rebel against them by living any way they want to. The hippies don't want to be bothered by anyone else's standards, yet even with that attitude they still think of love; it may not be true love, but they want love. They think they can have love with anyone they choose. What's the difference between this love and true love? There is no purposeful direction in that love, so there is no truth there.
What is the difference between truth and falsehood? Truth has permanent direction and purpose, while false things have no direction or goal except momentary fun or satisfaction. People who pursue false love reject the bonds and commitment of marriage, and feel free to have affairs with married people. Even hippies who disregard regulations cannot disregard love, but their love has no direction. Is such love pulled by the desire of the body or of the mind? This is an irresponsible exploitation of love, turning the supreme thing into the dirtiest thing under the sun. When this misuse of love is rampant, a nation becomes the most immoral in the world.
We are igniting a revolution in America. We talk about love, but it is love with truth. We want to perfect love with truth and be governed by the mind, which is connected to the ultimate purpose and goal. When you pursue illicit, aimless love, destruction and sadness always result. But when you go in the opposite direction and pursue love governed by the mind, there is harmony, productivity and joy in the end.
Do you think God, in His perfection, would have created mind and body to be in opposition all the time? Or did He provide some other way? If God could not provide a way for them to be in harmony, He could not really be God. Your two eyes coordinate to produce one image; they focus instead of going in two different directions. If even one side of your nose becomes stuffed up, you suffer. If your two ears can't coordinate, you suffer. How much more would you suffer over the separation of mind and body? The greatest pain results when mind and body are moving without harmony.
If a part of one hand is missing, you feel embarrassed and want to hide it. If you feel such shame with a crippled hand, why don't people feel shame when their mind and body are crippled by separation? If some cripple swaggers about, boasting how great and handsome he is, people look at him as though he were crazy. It is the same with people today; they feel they are wonderful and handsome, but God and spirit world see them as cripples who don't realize their true situation. They can only pity such people.
The most important thing is to realize what shape we are in as a result of the fall. Would you blame God for your misfortune? It was not God's original intention to create cripples, but to have perfect sons and daughters. What brought such great pain and disfigurement to mankind? Love itself. Originally love should have been governed by a God-centered mind, but first mind and body should be united. Because of the work of Satan the mind has been enslaved by the body and love has been abused and distorted.
The mind should be plus and the body minus, but Satan made the body a plus; in physics two plusses repel each other. The misuse of love caused the mind and body to push themselves miles apart, so what is the cure? Illicit love was the cause, so the cure should be true love, which is completely the opposite. The body should become minus by denying its desires. Denial, therefore, is the beginning point.
What has been the central teaching of God? It has been the denial of body-centered desire, of self-centeredness. Complete denial brings complete love. A house must be cleaned in order to receive the new master. This is what religion has always taught, emphasizing sacrificial service. Sometimes the body cannot be still or patient, but the mind insists that the body take a beating. In the Unification Church we intensify this process so that we can welcome true love.
Today two worlds are in conflict, the communist world and the free world, because both want to be subject. The communists say that God does not exist because He cannot be seen, and say that material, or the body, is the only reality. By doing so they are trying to create a permanent base for Satan. But the free world rejects that, saying that God, and thus the mind, is the center of the world. The communists insist that there is only physical love, but the free world proclaims that God-centered, purposeful love is central. Love is one, uniting one man with one woman. That is a basic principle of the universe. The direction of love must be straight, not zigzag. A zigzag is not the shortest route. American society today has become the victim of Satan, so this nation is bound to decline because there is no room for God here.
Originally the mind was subject, but the problem is that the body wants to be subject as well, not object. We have to push the body back to its object position. There are many layers of obstacles blocking you before you can conquer your body. There are two ways to go about this-go through each layer one by one, or all at one stroke. Jesus taught the method of doing it all at once-nail your body down on the cross. That's why Jesus taught that the person who wants to gain his life would lose it, but he who would lose his life for Jesus' sake would gain it.
Even in spirit world at this time there are many limitations and compartments. What is the method of transcending all these limitations? The only way is to become a center of true love, the personification of true love. Then you will be welcome everywhere in spirit world and on earth.
Love is governed by the Principle; there is love of brothers and sisters, of friends, of parents, of children, all of which are governed by heavenly principle. But when roles in love are ,mixed up, it is not true love. True love is a ladder by which you can come closer to God, but false, illicit love takes you away from God. Each form of love results in a different movement. When you become men and women of true love, you will be welcomed by the entire universe because you will be a harmonizing factor. This will be true on earth and in spirit world, so everyone will welcome you.
Wherever true love moves all barriers are shattered and there is no limitation. Within the guidance of your mind, which has no limit, you have absolute freedom. As long as your mind is subject, you can enjoy true freedom. How big is your mind? It is so big that you can embrace God and then go to sleep.
The religion which teaches true love is the true religion; it will also be a logical religion because it starts with truth. Do you love me? If you say yes then would Mother feel jealous? She won't be jealous if she has true love. Wherever love goes there is harmony and a certain standard of discipline. There are specific distinctions in love-love of father and daughter, of father and son, of husband and wife, for instance. Here I look at you as sons and daughters, in the straight way.
I have a special privilege because I am welcome wherever I go. Even the heart of someone who has lived alone all his life is warmed. Even if I don't give you gifts or money, you feel warm inside when I come. It is because I am bringing you something- true love. Therefore, I live life without limitation. I can go through the boundaries of white people, black people, yellow people, and cultural boundaries make no difference. I bring the same warmth and fullness everywhere. When Satan sees me moving so freely around the world he anxiously looks for a way to lock me up somewhere. Satan puts up walls, but I just move through them.
You are not bothered by stone walls because with true love you can crawl under or go over, or seep through. Love is so powerful that people will give up their life even for satanic love, but how much more would you do if you had true love? Then no power would block you. True love is like a rubber band that can stretch over miles and miles, no matter how far away you go. There is a lifeline connecting your spirit and body, but it is so elastic that even when your body is asleep your spirit man can travel all over spirit world, many millions of miles away, and it never rips or gets tangled up. Love is that kind of line.
Young people are very excited about freedom, but what freedom do they want? Do they want money any way they can get it? The freedom I am talking about is freedom to have true love. True love will give you total liberation. With true love alone can you enjoy true freedom. Wherever you go with true love you always have dignity and pride. If you do fund raising with true love there is no greediness; true love always wants to add to your accomplishment, not take away, so what you do shines in an eternal sense.
When you release an arrow of true love, it will penetrate the entire earth and hit the bull's eye- which is God's heart. You don't even have to aim it. This is not just talk, and when you go to spirit world it will be completely obvious in daily life. True love is omnipotent, regardless of what shape or direction you have. It always goes in the right direction, whether you are walking, jumping or flying.
If you have only 50 per cent true love then 50 per cent of your limitations are still there. Do you believe this is true, or know it as a fact? When you get straight A's at Harvard that record remains with you the rest of your life. The same thing can be said in the realm of religion. What kind of teaching are you getting here? This is the university of true love. Harvard is a big name in American colleges, yet there are many ungodly activities there and secular love is rampant. If Harvard represents one extreme, this university of true love represents the other extreme. We are looking at love through a telescope, which means we have a direction and discipline in love. It is so disciplined that men and women even sit separately.
In the everyday world it is the accepted thing for men and women to have fun together. But in our world even men having fun with men and women with women is not normal! What is our purpose then ? We don't want to deviate even one iota from true love. For what purpose? Because true love represents total freedom. If you are climbing up on God's shoulders in true love then He is happy, and even if you kidnap God He will be laughing and happy. That's the way spirit world works.
When you get to spirit world with true love, you won't even have to go to God's throne-He will bring His throne and entire palace to you. All spirit world will want to bring heaven to you. I have struck the best deal in the cosmos. It is so fantastic that many people think I am crazy. They can't believe anything that good could be true. True love is the outcome and gain, so I am not satisfied with the idea of just brainwashing-I would want a body wash, foot wash, hand wash - total wash. Would there be anyone who wouldn't want it? The point is that no one can get this true love unless they are correctly guided and go to the right university. People say Moonies are brainwashed, but I say we are true-love-washed. True love is like a fireball, and when you are touched by it then it is no problem for mind and body to become one; true love will melt them into one.
With this realization, Jesus' teaching becomes clear; he said you can even love your enemy. With true love there are no enemies. True love is so powerful that it can melt hell into heaven. That is the proclamation and gift we can give to the world. This is a gift that will last forever and never be bound by lines of limitation. We can give it to the world this year, next year, next century and forever thereafter. People oppose the Unification Church only because they do not know what it is. Once they know, there is no way they could oppose it.
Sometimes our members get agitated and ask God why He leaves our detractors and the deprogrammers alone, complaining that He should strike them down. But that is a bad attitude. These people are only opposing us out of ignorance. It is our privilege to liberate them from ignorance. Unless you have given them the truth. how can you condemn them? Furthermore, we have true love that is good enough to melt their animosity. Even in the secular world you have to examine all the evidence and test the competency of a defendant before he can be sentenced to prison. We cannot just judge people before we make sure they know what we are standing for. We have a responsibility to teach everyone so that they can know.
Whenever you meet people who oppose you, you should repent, thinking that you are responsible for that because you have not yet given them the truth. When our enemies truly know what we are doing, don't you think those enemies will repent? I know precisely how we can eliminate the lines of limitation and enjoy true freedom; it will happen through true love.
Your worst enemy is actually your own body. If you can dominate your own body then unity with the rest of the universe will come easily. My lifetime slogan since I began pioneering this path has been, "Before you long for dominion of the universe, you must have control over yourself." That is the first battle to be won, and if you fail here then you will get nowhere. When you get control over your own body you are on your way.
True freedom can only be enjoyed in the Kingdom of Heaven. In today's crazy world people are running after physical, carnal desires and comforts, but those things don't give them true comfort and peace because their consciences are always saying, "You are wrong." Shall we begin this journey? Raise your hands if you can say Yes. God bless you.
I want you to know that from now on there will be a special system for attendance at Belvedere on Sundays; this will be a place mainly for leaders to come on Sunday morning, who then will tell the rest of the membership what my message was.
I consider no one my enemy, but many people consider me their enemy to the degree that they want to harm me. They think that if they eliminate me from America or from the world that the Unification Church will come to an end. As long as there is God there will always be a Unification Church and millions of Reverend Moons, but the problem is that those who consider me their enemy don't think so.
There are many things going on behind the scenes which you do not need to know. I have become a giant threat to the communist world, so the next five or six years will be critical and those who hate me will do everything they can to kill me. That's the reason we have to take such precautions as are humanly possible. We have to have a certain organization and discipline to do important things for the sake of posterity.
I will be traveling a lot and you will not know where I am. You should just go ahead with your mission regardless, knowing that always I will be working harder than you are for the work of God.
No one is more expert on communism than I am. You are novices and simply have no idea what the communists are like. I even have information from other governments warning that certain precautions are needed. Also spiritually I know there are groups who are trying to curtail our movement. It makes sense that these things are happening because you know what I represent and what we are trying to do.
The communists are experts on dirty tricks, and you may not even know who the person sitting next to you really is. There was even a bomb discovered in this room. The ignition wires had been lit, but mysteriously went out before the bomb exploded. I am not bothered by these things because my life is in God's hands. I have lived my life under constant threat, but it still is our duty to take maximum precautions.
Once the third seven-year course is over I won't have to risk my life, but until then I have to go on, and no matter what I will always be at the front line. While I am living on earth I must set certain rules and traditions which will guide the Unification Church for thousands of years, and much work remains to be done.
This does not mean I will not meet you, or that I will avoid the mission, but I will do it according to a certain standard and criterion. Great safety precautions are taken even for one head of state. There is a great deal of potential danger when my family travels, or goes to school. The time has definitely come when we need our own country, where we can have our way of life.
For the time being I will speak to 70-150 members, mostly leaders who will be coming from all different parts of the world. They will be taking my message to the members. Of course, new members and home church members will always be coming to service at the World Mission Center. It is not for my private reason but for the public purpose and the well-being of our movement that we do this.
I may not speak every Sunday, even to the leaders. When I pray on Sunday mornings at East Garden I receive direction from God about whether I should speak, so even I will not know until the last minute whether I am coming. I know you will appreciate how precious this concrete floor is. I think you fully understand the reason for this, right?
Many indications over the past weeks have prompted this action. Sometimes even our members are attacked, so how much more could I be a victim? I want each of you to be ready to defend yourself by learning martial arts. The communists are often brutal and vicious, and they don't care what method they use as long as they accomplish their end. This is the reason everyone is afraid to deal with them, but I am not afraid. I will confront them face to face. That is how our movement works in Japan, how CARP is working here in America, and that is my policy everywhere.
Over the last sixty years the communists have thought that their goal of world conquest was becoming a reality. It is their unmistakable goal to conquer the free world, but recently they have seen some rough resistance coming from Reverend Moon. I am the one who educated all South Korea about anti-Communism, and put the Japanese communists on the defensive for the first time. Kim 11 Sung is outraged at what I am doing. Ironically it is the communists who know best what I am doing. The charge that I brainwash people originates with the communists because they know how powerful the Divine Principle is. They fabricated many lies about me and fed them to the media, who ate them up. This character assassination is how they want to discredit me.
Communist infiltration has become complete in the Christian churches. Recently I have received a heartrending letter from some young Korean residents here. One said he was employed by an organization headed by certain prominent people who promised him good pay. It has turned out to be a communist front and they want him to pretend to become a devout Christian, give large donations to his church, and become a leader of the youth groups there. He is asking me to help him get away safely from these people. That is how communists work. There is tremendous infiltration in the State and Defense Departments.
The attacks against me intensified at the time of the Fraser investigation, and in Fraser's own words, they tried to crucify me. But they failed. They have tried every possible peaceful means to eliminate me, such as legal action to deport me from America, criminal investigations and IRS investigation, but there is nothing there. I am completely clear, so their last resort will be violence.
Look at what happened to John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King. I know very clearly what happened behind the scenes of those assassinations. There are many conspiracies between the CIA, KGB, and the Chinese and North Korean equivalents of the KGB, as well as their powerful underground organizations. I have witnessed first hand the inside of the free world and the communist world. Even Christianity and Judaism are not that friendly to us, but are our formidable enemies. This shows how strong we are. Otherwise they would never waste their time.
You love me unconditionally, and they hate me unconditionally. I can never be in the middle ground- either I am extremely good or extremely bad. Would you want to protect me more than these enemies of ours are loyal to their own cause?
I am so well-known that wherever I travel I am recognized. Therefore, the best place for me to stay is East Garden. The Shah of Iran is a very unfortunate man now because in the entire world there is no sanctuary for him. That is my situation too, but I have hope and I know the Kingdom is coming. But while the way is still being fought certain precautions must be taken and I don't have much freedom of movement.
The next few years will see a heated showdown and will determine the outcome of the struggle. If I do not see you too frequently, don't be disappointed, but understand.
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